Definitions [4]
Definition: Pollution
Pollution is the addition of any such constituent to air, water or land which deteriorates the natural quality of the environment.
Definition: Pollutant
Pollutant is any such constituent which causes pollution.
Define: sustainable development
Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Definitions: Sustainable Development
- In 1987, the Brundtland Commission cited the definition of sustainability.
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs." - “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
-World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987- - “The alternative approach (to sustainable development) is to focus on natural capital assets and suggest that they should not decline through time.”
-Pearce, Markandya and Barbier, 1989-
Key Points
Key Points: Climate Change
- Climate change refers to long-term changes in temperature, rainfall, wind and other climatic patterns due to natural and human causes.
- Human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase greenhouse gases, strengthening the greenhouse effect.
- Natural factors such as volcanic activity, ocean circulation and changes in Earth’s orbit also influence climate change.
- Major signs include rising global temperatures, melting glaciers and polar ice, sea-level rise and changing rainfall patterns.
- Future impacts may include frequent heat waves, stronger storms, flooding, ecosystem disruption and socio-economic damage.
Key Points: Concept of Sustainable Development
Sustainable development means improving life today without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
- It links needs with fairness in resource use, especially for the poor (food, jobs, health, education, water, energy, housing).
- Environment and economy must stay within nature’s carrying capacity: use renewables no faster than they regenerate and gradually replace non‑renewables with sustainable alternatives.
Key Points: Organic farming
- Organic farming is an eco-friendly agricultural system that avoids chemical fertilizers and pesticides and maintains natural balance in farming.
- It uses organic wastes, biofertilizers, animal manure, and microbes to supply nutrients and maintain soil fertility.
- Crop rotation, biological pest control, and resistant local varieties are used to manage weeds and diseases naturally.
- Organic farming promotes sustainable agriculture, soil health, biodiversity, and long-term productivity, ensuring safe food for humans and environment.
